Pandora's Gateway
by IkeaGoddess
Summary: AU, OOC. Damon is the captain and only crew member of his ship. To still his hunger and his carnal desires on his journey through a black hole, he is in need of a female human pet. Will Elena be the right woman for the job? Strong M rating, d/s, v/h
1. Chapter 1: The Job

Title: Pandora's Gateway

Summary: AU, OOC. Damon is the captain and only crew member his own ship. To still his hunger and his more carnal desires on his journey home through a black hole, he is in need of a female human pet. Will Elena be the right woman for the job? Strong M rating for later chapters and a possibly very dark Damon, d/s, v/h. Not suited for minors.

++++First a short message from our sponsor.++++

This is what happens when the dark vampire of my dreams gets stuck in my geeky sub conscience. In this story Damon and Elena are out of character (OOC), residing in an alternate universe (AU) which has heavily inspired by some of my all time favorite shows and movies, such as Firefly, Star Trek and, Indiana Jones. I threw into the mix my passion for the dark fan fiction of the Twilight world and out came this little tease. I hope you like it.

This is not beta-ed, so all mistakes are mine. Interested in the job by any chance?

Disclaimer: all characters belong to the Vampire Diaries TV series.

++++Stay put for the pilot episode of Pandora's Gateway++++

Damon Salvatore was exhausted. Most people didn't realize how much work driving a hard bargain really is, but after successfully finalizing his business deals on _Serendipity 5_, a quite industrious albeit untamed settlement on the outer ring, all Damon wanted to do was quickly get into his space ship and head for home.

The only thing still holding him on this rambunctious planet was that he needed a companion to make it through the 2 weeks he would be stuck on his trustworthy old ship, the _Katherine_, with nothing but time to kill while it traveled through the _Pandora gateway_.

He could have just picked up a cute hitchhiker wanting to get a free ride to the other end of the galaxy like he usually did. But after these last strenuous negotiations he decided he had earned himself a little treat. He didn't feel like playing nice or compelling his travel companion to let him feed on her. No, this time he felt like taking what he wanted, no questions asked, no apologies necessary. Damon and the vampire in him were going to have a party, vampire style, with lots of blood and sex and a dash of pain.

And exactly for these reasons, he had put up a sign in front of his ship - _Human female pet wanted for feeding. Destination: Alpha Centauri_. Damon pulled up a chair next to it, and waited for a suitable passersby walking the docks to take the job.

So far only two humans had stopped to ask. The first, though pretty to look at, was a bit too eager for his taste and the second was a young guy who was looking for an adventure. One had to admit he was handsome, but Damon didn't swing that way, so he didn't loose any time sending him off to try his luck on the next ship.

The captain had just found a comfortable position on the rickety old folding chair and pulled his hat over his face, when he heard the clickety-clack of a light-weight person in boots, probably female, rapidly approaching him.

Before he could slide back his hat and take a look at the person in front of him, he heard a determined female voice tell him,

"I'll take the job, if we leave immediately".

When he tipped back his hat, he was met by doe-like deep brown eyes staring at him. Taking in the rest of the petite young woman with the long brown hair in front of him, the grin on Damon's face became wider.

Never one to question fate, he didn't think twice before answering in his best seductive voice,

"For once, your wish is _my_ command, milady." With that said, Captain Salvatore picked up her delicate hand and kissed it. His gaze never once left her eyes.

++++We interrupt this program for a short commercial break. We'll be back after a message from our sponsor++++

I hope you liked my AU. I had the idea while watching _Firefly _once again. I loved that whole wild west meets outer space adventure with a touch of Indiana Jones' action and humor. I think Elena and Damon will thrive in that setting. What do you think? I admit to seeing Damon's first encounter with Elena at the boarding house repeatedly play out before by inner eye while writing that last line. It's one of my absolute favorite scenes of the show.


	2. Chapter 2 Making The Deal

Elena's finger pushed down the button to close the hull the second the captain boarded the ship with his chair and sign under one arm. So far, so good.

A couple of minutes ago she had been running from her pursuers, desperately searching for a way out of the hell that was her life. When she descried the moderately fast spaceship with a job offer next to it, Elena for once went with her guts. Without faltering, she walked right up to the hunched up figure on the ancient folding chair in front of the ship. On her way she skimmed over the sign next to him and confidently told him she'd take the job.

As Elena watched the door close, she wasn't aware of the deep breath of relief leaving her lips. She was in safety now.

Her heart however was still beating like that of a Tour de France finalist conquering the Alpe D'Huez. Surprisingly this cordial boost was not due her narrow escape. No, it was solely because of man standing next to her. The captain was eying her with a tilted head and an expression that one could only describe as curios.

Though it had happened only mere minutes ago, Elena's mind was reliving her first encounter with him. The sexy dark haired captain had pierced her with a gaze from his deep blue eyes while placing a delicate kiss on the back of her hand. She had actually felt a chill running down her spine. Luckily her survival instinct prevailed or she would still be standing in plain sight with her hand wrapped in his.

So far her plan was successful. The next step was to ensure they made it to wherever they were going. If she remembered correctly, the sign had said something about _Alpha Centauri_. With a pinch of luck the bastards hot on her heels wouldn't follow her the other side of the galaxy or better yet they never figured out where she disappeared to.

Facing her, the captain asked with what can only be described as a smirk on his face, "My, my you are quite anxious to be all alone with me, aren't you, kitten? Shouldn't we settle on a price first to finalize our deal?"

Elena noticed how he raised one of his eyebrows, obviously quite amused by her forgetting to settle the financial aspect of the job first. She had no idea what was usually offered for such an employment, but she knew she had to get off of this planet and she had to do it fast.

You see, Elena Gilbert was in heap of trouble and it was following her like a love-sick puppy wherever she went and tried to hide.

"I'm sure we will reach an accord as soon as we are in the gateway." she said in an attempt to lose as little amount of time as possible.

"You are aware that there is no turning back as soon as we pass the entrance to the gateway? We will be locked away for 14 days. It is impossible for any being to get on or off of the ship during that time." He was looking at her with an intensity that made Elena tremble slightly.

Yet never one to back down a challenge she answered, "Sounds like just what I was looking for."

A smile made its way over the dashing captain's face. The devil having just made a pact for her soul couldn't have looked happier. When Elena realized what her words could imply, she blushed bright red.

She quickly adverted her eyes only to be confronted with the rest of his body. The captain was a mighty fine male specimen, anyone equipped with eyes and a brain could see that. And being this close to him allowed her take in details like the bulge of his biceps in the tight black shirt and pants combo he was wearing. He was hot and the thought of being locked up with him, did strange things to Elena's body. Among others she blushed an even darker shade of red.

She was hoping he hadn't noticed, but the way his eyebrows wiggled at her and mischief sparked in his pools of blue when she looked up, there was no denying it. He had recognized her embarrassment in addition to catching her eye-fucking him. There really was no other way of describing the way she had just drank him in. Samantha would have been proud.

Now however she was channeling Charlotte once again, her eyes fixed on her shoes. Before she could say anything, he took a large step towards her so that he was standing right in front of her, invading her personal space. He placed his finger under her chin and lifted her face so he could look her into the eyes. Elena instantly straightened up and drew in a quick breath. His delicious scent invaded her nostrils, urging her body to lean in even closer.

"That shade suits you _very_ well." He accentuated the word 'very' by drawling it out in a husky voice literally purring the r. "I hope I get to see it more often on this voyage."

With that he turned and vanished in a blur only for Elena to find him standing at the door to what she assumed was the bridge. Before stepping through the doorway the captain turned on his heel and looked right her, drinking her in.

"Let's say we get the grand old _Katherine_ out of these docks and be on our way." His expression changed on those last words from anxious to predatory. He looked at her like he wanted to eat her. No man had ever looked at Elena that way, not even Matt, her first boy-friend. It made her feel confident and sexy.

She was turning a new page in the book that was her life. Leaving literally everything behind she embraced the solace the uncertainty of the unknown had to offer. The new Elena put on a confident and fearless face albeit being a tiny bit scared. This trip, if nothing else than saving her ass from prison, was certain to be interesting.

When he stretched out his arm, she walked straight up to him. With each step her brain was straining to remember if there was a rule against having some fun with the captain. _Don't shit where you eat _came to mind, but was quickly dismissed by a strutting new Elena.

She quickly calculated that in all likelihood there couldn't be too many animals she would be looking after. The ship was only a small sized cargo vessel. Which meant there would be plenty of time to get to know the captain. She made the decision that this might just turn out to be a fun adventure after all.

Willingly she took the hand of the beast into hers and stepped onto the bridge.

++++We interrupt this program for a short commercial break. We'll be back after a message from our sponsor++++

I wonder if they have the same things in mind when thinking about ways to entertain themselves on their journey through the black hole. Did someone else get the impression that she may not have read the sign entirely or was it just me? Has she maybe jumped from the mouse-trap only to find herself in the cat's open and salivating mouth? Stay tuned for the unraveling of secrets in the next episode of Pandora's Gateway. I'd enjoy seeing what you think so far.


	3. Chapter 3 Job Description

++++Today's program is brought to you by **BadBoysAreBest**, who encouraged me to sit down and continue with this journey through space and time, scientifically speaking, but most importantly some serious smut. But not this episode. This is just the tease++++

Captain Salvatore slowly pushed forward on the lever that launched the _Katherine_ into orbit after previously having punched in the coordinates. The universe passed by leaving them surrounded by a blur of stars.

A sheer moment ago it had gotten very intense as he intimately checked over her safety belt to make sure she was properly strapped in before take-off. His fragile little pet had stayed perfectly still, not moving a muscle, not even breathing as his fingers moved along the edges of every strap and yanking once on them at the end of his journey. Though she gasped at the sudden movement, her eyes never left his the whole time he was teasing her. She was clearly not very experienced, but her instincts were spot on.

Deciding he needed to defuse the scene before the bulge in his pants would turn from painful to the point where he couldn't stop himself from fucking her instantly, Damon introduced himself.

"Welcome aboard the _Katherine_, the fastest cargo ship of her class. She may not look much from the outside, but she is a treasure of wonders on the inside. My name is Damon, Damon Salvatore. I believe I am your captain on this voyage."

He paused before taking a dramatic bow before her. He didn't plan on drinking from her, or fucking her for that matter, till they were safely locked away, trapped in space and time for 14 glorious days. His primary mission now was to find out as much information about her as possible before they reached the gateway of no return. And what better way than for her to give him what he wanted to know willingly. All he needed were a few clues to her character to get him started.

He very deliberately raised his head with his body still bent over 90 degrees right in front of her. His face was clearly in her personal space. He knew she could see into the front of his shirt. He wanted her to take a good look at his tight muscles all the way down to those abs he once worked so hard for. His body was a wet dream come true and he knew it. And most importantly he knew how to use that body.

He patiently waited till her eyes were on his again and winked.

"Why don't I take you on the grand tour till we arrive at the gateway.?"

++++We interrupt this program for a short commercial break. ++++

"And with that", Damon closed the door of the fridge, "I complete my tour of the kitchen, kitten."

"My name is Elena," she said in an almost uncertain voice.

"I'll keep that in mind, kitten. I'm positive that I'll be screaming it a couple of times during this voyage." He couldn't resist wiggling his eyebrows while flashing his winning smile at her.

He showed her the other cabins but decided to save the best for last. They had to pass into the _Pandora gateway _first. He told her to stay in the small hallway in front of the last door, while he quickly navigated the Katherine into the center of the portal. All it took was a step over the edge and they were on their way.

Everything outside stood still, but inside time continued. For 14 days his trustworthy old lady would be an impenetrable vessel trapped inside the black hole before being propelled out on the other side. Eager and over ready to seal the deal Damon flashed back to Elena's side.

"It is a pleasure to inform you that we are now traveling through the _Pandora gateway_." He paused and made short bows in all directions as if her were a stage in front of a large audience. She couldn't resist taking part of his silliness by clapping and saying "Bravo, bravo", while chuckling.

"And now for the pièce de résistance. " he said while reaching for the bar that opens the last door.

"I can't wait to see the animals."

That certainly made him stop in his tracks.

"Animals?" he asked and not waiting for an answer he continued more to himself, "And there I was thinking this is the first time you ever did this kind of job."

"This is the first time actually," she answered back in a shy voice. "I've never looked after animals before. But I mean how hard can it be to feed them, right? I succeeded in all my previous jobs and won't let you down. I can do this." Her face was donning a resolved and very determined expression.

After his initial shock, the captain literally broke down holding his sides as his bellowing laughter filled the Katherine to every last nook and cranny. He laughed till his sides hurt. Looking up at the clearly lost bambi staring at him with a slightly angry expression, he asked with glint in his eye.

"I take it you didn't take too much time to read over the sign with the job offer."

"No, I was in a bit of a hurry as a matter of fact." She butted in, clearly not appreciating being laughed at. She wrapped her arms in front of her and added, "But I'm sure I have what it takes to do the job."

"Oh, I'm sure you do, kitten. I'm real _sure_ you do." Taking her hand, he stood up, and pulled her after him towards the hull. "Why don't we take another look at that sign?

He didn't wait for an answer, instead opted for pulling her after him, till he stood in front of the sign, he had earlier absent-mindedly tossed aside when entering the ship. His eyes were glued to her face taking in her expressions while she reread the sign and began to understand just what kind of job she had taken on.

Damon watched Elena blush a delicious crimson. The vampire in him started tearing its way to the surface, elongating his fangs and pooling the whites of his eyes with what looked like blood. Dark veins became prominent and very visible under his eyes.

"You should know that blushing like that brings your delicious blood closer to the surface of your skin and your heart picks up a beat. Together that makes you nearly irresistible." He kept his distance taking deep breaths, flaring his nostrils as she took a step back.

In a clearly shaken voice, she asked him "Will you kill me?"

He didn't suppress his short laugh accompanied by shaking his head in disbelief. His human face was back in place. "That wouldn't be a very smart idea, now would it? Who would I feed on for the rest of the trip? I am definitely to good-looking to starve. "

He deliberately tried to keep the conversation on the light side. Elena was clearly is a slight state of shock, her little brain probably working overtime to take in the situation. Time to get the facts on the table.

"You look like you need a drink. Come." And with that he whisked her away and sat her down on a kitchen chair before placing an ice-cold tumbler with a wonderfully smooth scotch in her hand.

Damon sat down and took a long sip letting the old scotch cover the entire inside of his mouth. He rubbed his tongue against the palate to savior the taste as long as possible, before letting the now warm liquid trickle down his throat.

"Let's get the facts straight, shall we? You are trapped on a ship for 14 days with a vampire and no way of escape. What do you know about vampires?"

"Um," she gulped. She was barely able to look him and spoke more towards the tumbler in her hand than the vampire sitting opposite of her. "I know that you drink human blood and can't go into sunlight." She was quiet after that. " I'm sorry, I don't know more." She appeared visibly distraught at her lack of knowledge regarding his species almost as if she were ashamed of her ignorance.

"You are a curious creature, aren't you?" He was fascinated by her reactions. "Since you are clearly on unfamiliar territory, let me tell you how this will work." He paused never taking his eyes off of her before he continued with a calm voice. "I will drink your blood two times a day. That way I won't have to take too much on one feeding. Taking your blood only once daily would in contrast leave you quite tired."

He was drowning in the dark abyss of her eyes willing himself to be able to read the thoughts hidden behind there. Unsuccessful as ever, he continued.

"A vampire has 3 basic urges: blood, sex, and pain. Blood is our life's essence, so consequently we crave it all the time. When we drink we come into contact with our more primal nature, making the desire to fuck or inflict pain all consuming. The monster in me calls it a party when he gets both simultaneously."

She looked at him with wonder computing what he had just told her. "So this is your idea of a party?"

With a sheepish smile across his gorgeous lips, he decided to answer her honestly. "As a matter of fact, I am celebrating the closure of a very lucrative business deal. And you are my treat."

After a minute of silence, her lips gave voice to the words, "Will it hurt when you take my blood?" He noticed that she didn't ask if. Instead she opted for 'when'. She already recognized the inevitability of her situation and accepted it. She was a very quick learner.

"Only if I want it to. I won't lie to you. When I puncture your delicate skin with my fangs it will pinch at first, but most likely you will quickly feel very aroused while I drink your blood. As a matter of fact I have encountered a number of women who can cum violently with the only physical contact being my fangs in their neck while feeding off of them. It is quite an intoxicating experience." He stopped talking and eyed her quietly. He wanted to leave her room to think and ask questions. He would patiently satisfy her curiosity. He wanted her to be in charge of this part of their conversation.

"You say that as if you know what it feels like to be fed on.", she said with a flash of a feisty attitude.

"I did before I was turned." he simply stated.

What followed was silence. She had to build up the courage to ask the next question. After she swallowed a rather large gulp of scotch she had reached the point of no return. "Why did you write pet instead of companion? What does that exactly entail?"

Damon registered her bravery. She was visibly scared of the answer, her fingers trembling around the glass in her hand. And yet she decided to face her fear head-on. She was becoming more desirable by the minute.

"I asked for a pet, because it would tell to any interested companion with one word that I am a very dominate lover that expects her to comply to my wishes. Noncompliance is considered a punishable offence. You see, I very much enjoy being in control." He again resumed to take her in with his eyes, never leaving his very comfortable and relaxed stance lounging on the old kitchen chair across from her.

He waited for her to speak again. "Do you always pay a companion to take care of your needs on these trips?" She wanted to appear calm but this question had cost her. She was blushing again, though not as strong as the last time. She also looked a slight bit angry. He had expected a number of questions, but not once had this one crossed his mind. She truly was an unpredictable one.

"In truth, I usually pick up a hitchhiker who is looking for little adventure and a whole lot of fun. However I have noticed lately that my inner monster is itching to come out and play dirty. Sealing the deal on _Serendipity 5 _provided me with the perfect excuse to indulge in the blood and body of a skilled professional."

She remained absolutely motionless having reduced her body functions down to breathing and thinking. It didn't take long for his curiosity to get the better of him. Hearing her name, she snapped out of her thoughts. "Elena, how many men have you been with up to now?", he asked.

He had prepared himself for the likely possibility she would blush, but the reality of it happening brought his ingrained desires to the surface again. He tried to get his face under control not wanting to frighten her. He looked down and swallowed. Elena in the meanwhile observed the movement of Damon's Adam's apple.

"One." she said in such a tiny voice, he wouldn't have been able to hear it if he were human.

"That makes you practically a virgin in my eyes, just without the initial pain. Things will certainly be interesting between us." He decided it was time to end this little Q &A before she over thought the situation. "Let's get to your options, shall we?" He paused wanting to show that she could ask further questions if she so desired, but he sincerely hoped she didn't have any. The suspense of her impending decision was killing him. He decided to cut right to the chase.

With a wave of his free hand, he spoke in a dark velvet voice, "I present to you door one, behind it's red velvet curtain you will find a sexy captain willing to teach you a trick or two about sex. He wants to blow your inexperienced mind and fill it with so much pleasure you may become addicted to it. All you have to do is submit to him willingly and he will teach you all there is to know about carnal desires."

Damon took another sip of his scotch allowing her imagery to his words to set. In a calm voice he continued.

"Behind door number two's black leather curtain, you will find a dominate master who will train you to be a good little pet. He will be a stern teacher, graciously rewarding you for good behavior while strictly disciplining you for undesired behavior. In addition to teaching you how to submit with pleasure, he will most likely make you crave it your entire existence."

The viscid fluid swished around in the tumbler as his wrist continued to circle. Damon was once again watching Elena, taking in her reaction to his words. It pleased him and the monster exceedingly to see her blush a very dark shade of red. Damon almost growled out loud at the sight. What he wouldn't give to be able to read her mind right now. What was she imagining that made her blush like that. He had to know. He vowed to find out only to then make it happen again and again. He took a deep breath to calm down. Another sip from his drink helped taking the edge off. In a cool and almost detached voice he continued with her last option.

"And lastly locked behind the iron gates of door number three, you will find a very angry vampire. Though he will try to resist, he eventually will be overcome by the beast inside and take out his anger on your up to now flawless skin. He will inflict pain because he enjoys it and will only stop when he has bathed in your blood and tears. I have a hunch you wouldn't like his company too much. He can be quite an animal once let out of the cage. And he wouldn't need your compliancy either.

Of course at any time you could reconsider and choose one of the other doors. However in all likelihood the damage would be done by then. I suggest you take a couple minutes to think about your options and before you make your decision. Come, I have the perfect place for you to mull over your choices."

With that he whisked her to his side and walked her in front of the door they had stood in front of earlier, the only door she hadn't gone through on their previous tour of the ship. To her it seemed ages ago and light-years away.

He punched in a code on the panel on the door, pulled the bar, and theatrically swung back the door to present her with most stunning spa-bathroom she had ever seen. It was made up of natural stone and wood with a small waterfall flowing down the adjacent wall into a stream, filling up the hot-tub let into the ground in the room's center. The room was filled with the steam and sweet scent from the already drawn up bath. With a soft peck on the lips he left her after whispering one single word into her ear in his dark husky voice.

"Enjoy."

++++ stay tuned for part 2 of this epic voyage through space and time. To go where Delena have never gone before ++++

Now ladies, here is the deal. Though I have a good idea of how this story could continue, I thought it would be fun to see what you have in mind for Elena. Take her fate into your hands and decide which door she will open.

Number one for a passionate lesson in love, number two for a luscious lesson in submission, or number three for a dark lesson in pain. Or option number four, she lets him decide what is best for her which would basically leave me in charge of her destiny. Let me know what she will decide while soaking in the tub of my dreams.

Any other suggestions, as to what you would like to see happen, will happily be taken into further consideration.

Press the button to let me know what you want: will it be dark, darker, or darkest?

Be warned that I tend to stretch that M rating to a max. *muah-ha-ha-haaa* ;-D

Again this is un beta-ed and if you know somebody or if you are interested in helping me out, please PM me or leave a comment in the reviews.


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